Today’s car manufacturers are putting more emphasis on the safety of all passengers in their vehicles. To make their automobiles the safest cars on the road, they are incorporating many features like auto emergency braking, pre-collision assist, and better headlight technology. In December 2017 the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety - Highway Loss Data Institute (IIHS) released their lists of the safest cars to drive in 2018
Requirements of the Cars
According to the research conducted by IIHS, 62 cars met the standards for their 2018 Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick + lists for safest cars on the road. Of those 62, 15 met the requirements for the Top Safety Pick +.
According to their website, IIHS evaluates two safety aspects to decide what are the safest cars to drive: “crashworthiness — how well a vehicle protects its occupants in a crash — and crash avoidance and mitigation — technology that can prevent a crash or lessen its severity.” The IIHS does 5 crash tests: driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraint tests. The IIHS has an added criteria for passenger safety, not just driver safety, for 2018. They have also added advanced headlight technology to their criteria for crash avoidance and mitigation.
To earn the Top Safety Pick + rating and be considered one of the safest cars on the road, the vehicle must:
- Score “Good” ratings in all 5 crash tests
- Score “Acceptable” or “Good” ratings in passenger-side small overlap front crash test
- “Advanced” or “Superior” ratings for front crash prevention
- “Acceptable” or “Good” headlight rating
What Are the Safest Cars to Drive?
If you are looking to buy a new car, here is a list of some of the safest cars on the road. All of these cars were given the Top Safety Pick + rating by IIHS.
2018 Kia Soul: This is a small car with big vehicle attitude. It has a lot of room for passengers and cargo. Dual front advanced, dual front seat-mounted side, and full length side curtain airbags come standard. Anti-Lock Braking System and Electronic Brake-Force Distribution allow for better handling. The Kia Soul is one of the safest cars for families with children, with its rear child-safety door locks and Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH), a universal child-safety-seat attachment. The added options of front crash prevention and advanced headlights make this one of the safest cars on the road.
2018 Subaru Impreza: The 2.0i compact sedan drives like a big car with the efficiency of a small car. You cannot beat its 38/28 MPG for economy. What makes the Subaru Impreza one of the safest cars on the road is the Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC). The VDC sensors monitor wheel speed, steering angle, brake pressure, vehicle yaw rate (how far the vehicle has veered to the left or right from its center), and lateral g-forces. With purchase of the optional pre-collision assist and advanced headlights, you will be driving one of the safest cars on the road.
2018 Subaru Legacy: The 2018 Legacy is a great midsize car. This all wheel drive vehicle has all-wheel anti-lock brakes, traction control and tire monitoring system, and advanced frontal airbag system. A special safety feature that adds to its collision prevention is the auto on/off wiper-linked headlights. To make this one of the safest cars on the road, IIHS requires that you add front crash prevention options and choose headlights that meet the advanced technology requirement.
2018 Toyota Camry: Toyota’s Safety Sense provides one of the safest cars on the road. The Camry has an active safety package that includes front crash prevention with the pre-collision system and pedestrian protection. Adding the advanced headlight technology makes the Camry one of the safest cars on the road, according to IIIHS.
2018 Genesis G80: Genesis (a division of Hyundai) offers a first-class luxury car in the G80. The Genesis Smart Sense is a safety package that gives you peace of mind and lets you know you are driving one of the safest cars. The G80 has lane keep assist, blind spot detection, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. Driver attention alert monitors patterns and issues a video and audio alert if it identifies a safety issue.
2018 BMW X3: This midsize luxury SUV has the capacity for comfort and the assurance of safety. Its Active Protection System is always monitoring for safety risks. The front crash protection and pedestrian detection give you the added confidence that you are in one of the safest cars around.
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